Welcome to our health information portal that aims to raise awareness of some of the biggest health problems that affect everyday life for millions of women. We want to break more taboos, bust common myths, and raise awareness of both issues and potential solutions. We want women to be able to live their best life.
Regular topics
We will be focussing on different health and wellbeing issues at different times, but our initial focus is on one of the most common but least understood or talked about female health problems: urinary incontinence. That’s bladder leaks to you and me. As we cover more taboo busting topics, please visit for expert advice and to hear from like-minded women.
So, let's get started….
So, let's get started….
Jump to:
The impact of bladder leakage
What is bladder leakage?
How the urinary system works
Who suffers from bladder leakage?
The non-evasive solutions available
Light at the end of the tunnel
Finding the right information to help
The impact of bladder leakage
What is bladder leakage?
How the urinary system works
Who suffers from bladder leakage?
The non-evasive solutions available
Light at the end of the tunnel
Finding the right information to help
The impact of bladder leakage
Before we delve into the issue and look at solutions, it’s important to highlight that we recognise the negative impact bladder leakage has on our lives and the everyday activities we want to carry out, worry free. Contrelle Activgard, recently ran a survey to help demonstrate the negative impact bladder leakage has on sufferers. 500 women took part and the results were insightful;
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What is bladder leakage?
Put quite simply, bladder leakage is when you accidentally pass urine when you don’t want to. There are various types of urinary incontinence.
The most common forms are as follows:
(1) Stress urinary incontinence (“SUI”) is when you leak urine when your bladder is put under sudden extra pressure – for example, when you sneeze or cough. Other activities that may cause this type of leak are laughing, heavy lifting and exercise. The loss of urine can vary from small to large amounts. We understand even a very small leakage can be a major problem.
(2) Urgency urinary incontinence (“UUI”) is when you feel a sudden and intense need to pass urine, and you have to rush to the toilet and often leak before getting there. This can be triggered by change of position, putting your key into your front door or the sound of running water. The loss of urine is usually large, and the bladder may empty completely. This type of leakage is often accompanied by the need to pass urine very frequently during the day and often several times during the night. These symptoms together are known as overactive bladder syndrome (“OAB”).
(3) Mixed urinary incontinence (MUI), which is the existence of both SUI and UUI together.
The most common forms are as follows:
(1) Stress urinary incontinence (“SUI”) is when you leak urine when your bladder is put under sudden extra pressure – for example, when you sneeze or cough. Other activities that may cause this type of leak are laughing, heavy lifting and exercise. The loss of urine can vary from small to large amounts. We understand even a very small leakage can be a major problem.
(2) Urgency urinary incontinence (“UUI”) is when you feel a sudden and intense need to pass urine, and you have to rush to the toilet and often leak before getting there. This can be triggered by change of position, putting your key into your front door or the sound of running water. The loss of urine is usually large, and the bladder may empty completely. This type of leakage is often accompanied by the need to pass urine very frequently during the day and often several times during the night. These symptoms together are known as overactive bladder syndrome (“OAB”).
(3) Mixed urinary incontinence (MUI), which is the existence of both SUI and UUI together.
How the urinary system works
To better understand bladder leakage, it helps to know how the urinary system works, and what role the bladder plays.
Your bladder is a hollow muscular organ that stores urine. This muscle is called the detrusor. It’s a bit like a balloon, as your bladder fills it expands to store the urine. A normal, healthy bladder can store 300 to 400 mls of urine, allowing you to control when to hold and release urine. When your bladder becomes full, it sends a signal to the brain, which in turn sends a series of messages which allow you to empty your bladder at the appropriate time and place. These signals communicate with your detrusor muscle, pelvic floor muscles and sphincter - resulting in your bladder releasing urine through your urethra. |
Stress urinary incontinence happens if your pelvic floor muscles, ligaments and connective tissue aren’t strong enough to support a rise in pressure in your bladder. They allow the urethra to open, allowing urine to leak out.
It’s important to realise this can be an issue even if you think you have a strong pelvic floor, as ligament and connective tissue weakness can occur from any age, and is often made worse by childbirth and additionally by the menopause.
It’s important to realise this can be an issue even if you think you have a strong pelvic floor, as ligament and connective tissue weakness can occur from any age, and is often made worse by childbirth and additionally by the menopause.
Who suffers from bladder leakage?
And here’s one of the key points – millions of women suffer from incontinence, mainly stress urinary incontinence. The National Health Service (NHS) estimates that between 3 and 6 million people have some degree of urinary incontinence in the UK. It is estimated that approximately half the female population will experience urinary incontinence at some time in their lives.
Prevalence of bladder leakage increases with age, with the three big triggers being pregnancy, childbirth and menopause. However, bladder leakage is in no way restricted to middle-aged women, with many suffering from an early age. In fact, young female athletes from high-impact sports are overwhelmingly at risk – with studies demonstrating the constant and excessive downward pressure placed on the pelvic floor results in it becoming too tight. Research found that 80% of female trampoline athletes suffer from SUI. Whilst one academic paper revealed the whole of the French gymnastics team experienced leakage during the 2016 Rio Olympics. |
The non-evasive solutions available
Another key message, you don’t have to put up with bladder leakage. The lack of conversation and resulting assumption that not many women suffer, means many of us suffer in silence. This needs to stop. Bladder leakage is not OK. The impact of bladder leakage on our daily lives is not OK. With discussions increasing around women’s health, it’s time to take our suffering seriously and look for solutions.
The NHS states a healthy lifestyle can improve bladder health;
However, for some women these measures do not improve their bladder leakage and in fact, it can even get worse.
If this is the case, then there are other measures you can take. One of the most successful measures is using a bladder support, sometimes referred to as a pessary. Our favourite is Contrelle Activgard, a new product available in the UK, which is made of soft, body compatible foam. When positioned in the vagina it has a dual action in supporting the bladder neck, causing urethral compression and reducing bladder neck mobility (movement of the bladder neck) during rises in intra-abdominal pressure (for example when you exercise etc) thus preventing stress urinary incontinence. A single use Contrelle Activgard device can be used continuously for up to 16 hours a day. To find out more, visit www.Contrelle.com
The NHS states a healthy lifestyle can improve bladder health;
- Keeping a healthy fluid intake – Try to drink at least 6-8 glasses of fluid each day (1 to 2 litres). This helps avoid bladder sensitivity which can happen if you are not drinking enough, and stops the bladder getting used to holding smaller amounts of urine. Water’s the best fluid for bladder health.
- Follow a healthy diet to avoiding constipation. When the bowel does not empty properly, it can push down onto the bladder.
- Do your pelvic floor exercises. Daily exercises can strengthen these muscles, which can help keep urine from leaking when you sneeze, cough, lift, laugh, or have a sudden urge to urinate. In fact, the National Institute of Clinical Evidence (NICE), an NHS advisory body, advocates that women with SUI or MUI should be offered a health care professional trial of supervised pelvic floor muscle training (“PFMT”) of at least 3 months' duration as first-line treatment. PFMT programmes should comprise at least eight contractions performed 3 times per day. The physical rationale in treating stress urinary incontinence with PFMT, is to improve the timing (of PFM contraction), strength and endurance of the pelvic floor muscles and perhaps enhance urethral sphincter function.
- Try and avoid irritating the bladder. Irritation can be caused by caffeine, fizzy drinks (especially those containing artificial sweeteners), some alcohol drinks and acidic fruit juices.
- Keep a healthy weight – extra weight can also make your bladder problems worse, putting pressure on the pelvic floor muscles, which can become weak.
- Take time to fully empty the bladder when urinating. Rushing when you urinate may not allow you to fully empty the bladder. If urine stays in the bladder too long, it can make a bladder infection more likely.
- Be in a relaxed position while urinating. Relaxing the muscles around the bladder will make it easier to empty the bladder. For women, hovering over the toilet seat may make it hard to relax, so it is best to sit on the toilet seat.
However, for some women these measures do not improve their bladder leakage and in fact, it can even get worse.
If this is the case, then there are other measures you can take. One of the most successful measures is using a bladder support, sometimes referred to as a pessary. Our favourite is Contrelle Activgard, a new product available in the UK, which is made of soft, body compatible foam. When positioned in the vagina it has a dual action in supporting the bladder neck, causing urethral compression and reducing bladder neck mobility (movement of the bladder neck) during rises in intra-abdominal pressure (for example when you exercise etc) thus preventing stress urinary incontinence. A single use Contrelle Activgard device can be used continuously for up to 16 hours a day. To find out more, visit www.Contrelle.com
Light at the end of the tunnel
We find inspiration from real women, who have found a way to get their life back. Here’s our favourite two, who are refreshingly honest and open about their experiences of bladder leakage.
Natalie Silverman
Mum, broadcaster and founder of the Fertility Podcast “I couldn’t believe it - no leaks – not a drop. I just felt complete joy – it was totally liberating. At last, I was in control again, and it felt truly life-changing.” “Finding Contrelle Activgard has been a complete game-changer for me. I don’t have to worry any more, which is such a relief. I’ve also found that using it regularly has positively impacted my muscle memory in that area, so I’m proud to say that I’ve even been OK on occasions when I don’t use it – like at a recent music festival when I was dancing around with my son on my shoulders." “And when it comes to playtime with my son? Well, I’ve literally got my bounce back in more ways than one.” View Natalie's 'Bounce Test' video. |
Dr Aggy York – GP, mum and triathlete
“I ran in a tutu to hide my leaks until Contrelle stopped them in their tracks.” Busy 42-year-old Rochdale GP, and mum of two, Aggy York loves to run – in fact it’s been her passion for the last 6 years. "However, my enjoyment of running was held back by a persistent problem: stress incontinence. Whenever I ran, my bladder would leak. And not just a bit. A lot. To the point where I would be soaking wet by the end of even a short run." “I just didn’t understand why I could be at my fittest, with a strong pelvic floor, and have done my best to make serious lifestyle changes, but still leak. It was baffling.” "I was determined to find an answer, so Googled the problem – not what I would normally advise as a GP – and found Contrelle." “It was different to anything I’d come across to date, and promised to work pretty much immediately. At £6, including delivery, I thought: what have I got to lose, so I placed an order.” "When the kit arrived, I put Contrelle to the test, not going on just any run: I went for a 9-mile fell run, hopping over obstacles – something normally guaranteed to cause serious leaking – and without wearing an absorbent pad." “When I got back home, I was amazed to find that I was still dry as a bone – not even a drop of wee had come through. It was a revelation.” “I’m not only keen to pass on news about the solution I’ve found, but to get everyone to speak openly about a problem that women still seem to feel is taboo and could be stopping them from enjoying all important exercise." |
Your storiesWe also want this to be a space where women feel able to share stories and experiences that will help and inspire others with the same problem. So, if you have a story to tell about the current topic and are happy to share it, please email us at: info@womanshealth.co.uk |
Finding the right information to help
Follow the links to other sites to check out the latest information and help available across a range of Women’s Health issues:
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